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Swords Out and Guns Blazing
-The city of Nyon is a once-prosperous town that has seen better days. Sort of the way Blast Off is a one-time High Caste who has seen better days. He walks the streets of the city right now, casting a wary glance over his shoulder from time to time. He has many enemies, and a price on his head, and a number of personal woes. On top of that, he's worried he might now be wanted for shooting inside a hospital- though at THIS point he's almost beginning to feel like, eh, what's one MORE charge against him? There's something else, though. He could swear he's been followed for the last several breems. But every time he scans the area or looks around he can't find anything out of the ordinary. Still, it's just sort of a sixth sense the fugitive might be developing by now. -Everything on this planet has seen better days, except perhaps Swift Blade, who has left slavery behind and thus is much happier free. Or, rather, she's more content, since little has actually made her happy, per se. Speaking of that femme, she is out and about in Nyon this cycle too. Most likely, during one of Blast Off's look around, he will see the femme. Since he's a sniper by trade, he'll probably spot her before she spots him. -And indeed he does. His long strides falter and slow as he registers Swift Blade's presence. Hmm. Is this coincidence, fate, or is she just following him around? He's not entirely sure with the femme. Still, after some hesitation... he can't quite resist stepping her way. Why? He's not even entirely sure. "Swift Blade. We seem to run into each other quite a bit." -Most likely because, even under all the aloofness and paranoia, a small part of the mech wants to believe that someone won't betray him. Or, conversely, perhaps he's looking to confirm that the paranoia is true. But Swift Blade herself doesn't know the full story, and so she doesn't find anything out of place that he would still approach her. She inclines her head politely and offers a faint smile as the shuttleformer approaches. "We both come to this city often, so it is not too surprising. Though, considering the troubles you've had here, I'm surprised you come as often as you do." There's a brief pause. "I hope this cycle finds you well." -Indeed. The Combaticon may try to act aloof and unaffected, but the reality is he *does* wish there was someone he could trust. /Those/ individuals he can already count on the hand of one finger- and the number is shrinking all the time. Strike Shiftlock from the list, apparently. That leaves- his teammates. Minus Swindle, most likely. It's.... not a healthy number, that's for sure. So that may well be what compels Blast off now. He nods. "As well as can be expected." He pauses, glances off a little awkwardly and adds, "I... wish to apologize for my... behavior the other day. I... got caught up in the moment, and did not *think* things through." -"That is what I expected. And I think many mechs and femmes in a similar situation would have fought with that temptation and lost," Swift Blade says. "That doesn't make it right, but you also didn't finish the job, and it speaks to your character that you did not." She gives Blast Off a long look. "You are in a lot of trouble, and you have less and less incentive to do the right thing, but you did it anyhow." She smiles faintly. "That is why I refuse to believe you are completely bad." -Blast Off gives her a slightly distracted but polite nod. He's not sure what to make of it, though somewhere in there he appreciates the (relative) support. There's a glance behind him, then he gestures forward. "Would you like to walk?" And he begins striding up the street once more. Its like he's restless and doesn't want to remain in one place for long. His optics cast down towards the street before him and he mutters just loud enough for Swift Blade to hear him. "I... *am* civilized, and I pride myself on that, but... more and more.... I begin to wonder why I *bother* to." -The 'relative' support at least shows that Swift Blade is thinking and she's not pandering to him, coddling him. She has her beliefs and she's being open with them. She falls into step with him, hands clasped behind her back. Obviously she is not at all worried that this very DANGEROUS CRIMINAL is going to do anything to her. "YOu bother because you believe in it," she states simply as they walk. "I think, even as bleak as things are now, you don't want to give up the hope that, perhaps, civilization will be what you think it should be. It might take a long time, but hope is what can keep a person going." Pause. "Do you think I could have kept going all those years as a slave if I didn't have hope?" -Blast Off probably recognizes that, too... just as he once warned Shiftlock of people trying to be too nice to her right off the bat, he too is cautious of anything too good to be true. Now even MORE so, after his capture by that accursed Shutterfly! It's a conflict- to trust or not to trust. But in Blast Off's world, the fact that she hasn't tried to kill him or trap him yet is a definite plus on her side. Though if she offers him untold riches should he just go into some dank dark basement, he AIN'T complyin'. The shuttle falters a little, glancing away once more. She's perhaps hit a little closer than he'd like to admit. "....That... could be. I... think I would like to believe that. It's just... I am a Combaticon. I'm already trained as a soldier, and now people just seem to... expect me to... constantly rebel." His optic ridge raises up. "Not that I really even *mind* doing it, when it's warranted. I will always choose to think for myself. But..." His gaze casts downwards again. "Some days I'd like to stop fighting and simply enjoy the simple pleasures once more. Comfort, and class, and culture. ...Not that my teammates ever really understood. Not that anyone after me NOW seems to udnerstand." His optics darken. "And the more they treat me like a criminal, the more tempted I get to just GO with it. It would be SO much easier." -Swift Blade knows of no riches to promise anyone, and she certainly isn't interested in going into basements. "There must have been a turning point somewhere along the line," she says softly. "What happened in the first place to get you into this mess? Was it simply the ban on space flight, or was there something else?" she wants to know. "Technically, you are a criminal," she goes on to say, rather tentatively, "but that is not the entire sum of your being, just as being a slave is not the only thing that defines me." She shrugs her shoulders. "Does that make sense?" -Blast Off looks thoughtfully at Swift Blade. "...Yes, it does. And yes... I suppose I've technically been a criminal for a very long time. Combatrons have never quite... fit in well on Cybertron. There's been conflict there for a long time, long before any of... these more recent events." He hints at but doesn't quite bring up his earlier, much longer imprisonment, though anyone who looked up the Combaticons would find the old records. "So I've never quite felt at home here. But recently?" Recently he awoke from his millenia-long limbo and found himself in a corrupt, crooked government (in other words, not much had changed as far as he was concerned). "Recently my optics were opened as I saw one thing too many. Met people with stories to tell, even saw video evidence of corruption in the IAA and saw it myself in the Senate." He pauses. "No... being a slave does not define you. But it does *influence* you. It creates habits, fears, behaviors and triggers all related to that slavery." -"Oh, I don't deny that. But I also don't deny that when new things happen to me they can also influence me," Swift Blade says after listening to Blast Off's words thoughtfully. "So, you and your companions had always felt like you didn't belong? That can't have been easy." Of course, Swift Blade had been gone for so long, she doesn't feel as though she quite fits in either. "What was important to you in the past?" she asks. "What was the one thing that decided your choice to go against the law?" The question doesn't carry any condemnation in it, merely a quest for understanding. -The Combaticon squints a little as if trying to decide just when that moment was, but not having much success. "It... wasn't one grand moment, really. It was a number of small ones, which all built up into a cascade... and by the time I fell into the atmosphere after fighting off those assassins, there... weren't any options left. Deciding to *help* someone instead of killing them, helping a person escape the clutches of their captors..." Blast Off stops and looks at Swift Blade. "That one was Blurr, actually, by the way..." Then he continues, "Seeing a steady stream of incompetence and greed... the list was endless." -Swift Blade stops when she sees that Blast Off has stopped. "Hopefully things will get better," she says quietly. "But while hope is a good thing to have, action has to follow, doesn't it?" She presses her lips together in a firm line. "I think Blurr means well, but I also think that there's something terribly wrong with him," she says slowly. "He can't concede that you were attacked by assassins and continues to maintain that you must have been trying to steal what you had been sent for to warrant the attack." She shakes her head. "In fact, he can't concede anything positive about you at all. He is so young that I didn't expect him to be so...fixed in his thinking." -Blast Off hufffs at that. "There's no mystery there. He is mind-controlled. He's a puppet- I believe I mentioned that already? His thoughts are not his own. The IAA pulls his strings. I saw that with my own optics." Then those optics darken. "...And now, thanks to him, it sounds like my friend is exactly the same. Brainwashed." -"Still, he must have had only his own mind at some point? No one starts that way...or do they?" Swift Blade says. "I just wish I knew what part of him was the original. Especially since he seems to change very rapidly." She gives him a bit of a description of what happened last time she saw Blurr. "It was a little frightening to tell the truth." She shudders and hopes that she never has that happen to her. For so long her self was all she had; losing it is not something she would ever want to consider. -"I don't know. I assume he did, at one point? ...Rung would know for sure. He worked with him in the beginning... apparently Blurr was a bit of a... mess already." He looks off contemplatively. "I... thought Rung was dead. For awhile, in fact, that was yet *another* crime they accused me off. But I have learned recently that he is, indeed, alive. If Rung could talk to him... then maybe, I don't know... perhaps he could repair him?" Blast Off shakes his head, then listens to the talk of Blurr blanking out. "...Yes. I've seen that. I saw it once just before the IAA took him away again. A time I actually showed that racer some *mercy*.... and I think it was a mistake." Another annoyed huff. "I would imagine it would be frightening for you. You're still trying to feel your way around this planet and its people. Having the other person not even be quite... there would be... distressing." -The name Rung does ring a bell. Swift Blade frowns slightly. "I've met Rung; he was there the second time I ever talked to Blurr. There was a lot of tension between them and they were both very upset. Accusations were made on both sides." She pauses. "Whoever does these mind wipes....they should be stopped," she adds flatly. "How can anyone be trusted, or held accountable, if such things are allowed?" A shudder passes through her frame. "Blurr mentioned he was only 15 metacycles old. Tampering with him before he had much time...it seems a very low thing to do." -Blast Off stares. "You MET Rung?" He listens and takes all that in. "I...I see. Well... yes, there's quite a history there, so... I can imagine there would be tension." Then he gives her a deadpan look. "EXACTLY. These things are NOT right. THIS is the system that does THESE sorts of things and yet dares to call ME a criminal!" Her last revelation, however, gets another gawping stare. "He's WHAT?" Slag, he's a *newspark*. "What the smelt?" -"Yes. This Rung came in and claimed he had official questions to ask. But they were very specific and quite pointed. Eventually Blurr snatched the datapad from his hands only to see that the questions weren't ON it. Then they started yelling at each other." Swift Blade nods his head solemnly. "Chances are, if he's so young, he trully doesn't know any better, and he's already been messed with. If only..." The femme doesn't finish her sentence. -Blast Off ahhs and mulls this over. "Yes... some tension in that situation would certainly make sense." He looks back, then gestures Swift Blade forward again. "Let's keep moving." He starts walking forward again, occasionally glancing around. "I... did not know that. Newsparks should be being educated, not enslaved." His optics dim. "He's still highly dangerous, though. Perhaps not having that experience, not knowing any better, helps him be all the more convinced he is in the right and invincible." -"Well, you're being more reasonable than he is," Swift Blade says. "But, considering the situation, that is not surprising. You've had much more time to learn about the way things work...and about yourself." She doesn't know HOW old Blast Off is, but she's pretty sure he's not anywhere near as young as Blurr. "Just remember that when you feel angry towards him. Avoid him still, and don't let him take you if you want to stay free, but you should realize that your anger at /him/ specifically might be misplaced." She continues on the walk, not really aiming for any place in particular and seems content to go where Blast Off wills. After all, she isn't the one on the run from the law. -Blast Off's optic ridges furrow. What she says makes sense, but there may be too much water under the bridge now, especially with the news of Shiftlock's "reconditioning". "I will... try." Then he straightens, and a little of his natural arrogance shows. "And of *course* I'm reasonable. I'm usually the most reasonable person I know." *haughty sniff* "As a shuttle, I am *expected* to be, anyway. I should set an example, after all." As they walk, Swift Blade may begin to sense the same thing that Blast Off has been. A feeling of being... watched. Perhaps the same face in the crowd once too often? But if she looks, it's gone again. -Arrogant doesn't equate to evil. Swift Blade frankly doesn't care that Blast Off is arrogant, perhaps because for most of her life she didn't even have the choice to exhibit arrogance. He was right that being a slave influenced her, had affected her psyche deeply. She's a modest person with modest expectations. But perhaps that is why the two of them get along equitably; she is not trying to place herself on the same level as Blast Off; there is no competition of superiority between them. But that's neither here nor there. "Trying is all you can do really. There's a lot going on between you. And if he ever did take you in, I doubt you could so easily forgive." She hesitates for a moment and lowers her voice considerably. "I am going to guess that being taken in is something you are truly afraid of." She remembers his near panic when Exodus landed on him. Then she looks around. The femme is NOT a paranoid individual, but even so, she gets the feeling of being watched. Subconsciously she moves a little closer to Blast Off. -And Blast Off DOES always like someone compatible with his ego, it's true! Plus, Swift Blade seems to actually be interested in listening to him and what his opinions are. So he's been getting rather chatty for him, because not many others *will* listen, and even a standoffish space shuttle needs someone to confide in. He sighs. "...Yes. And... no. And he certainly has been trying. We've had several skirmishes that you haven't been party to, and neither of us ever gets the full upper hand." He stiffens a little as she mentions being "taken in". "....Well, I am no *coward*, obbviously! I fear nothing." Yeah, right. "I.... I just know that should I be captured again, the powers that be won't give me another chance to be rescued by the Decepticons. I imagine their sentence would be carried out swiftly, before anything could stop it this time." There's an uncomfortable twitch of his wong elevons. He IS scared, he just doesn't want to admit it. Mighty Combaticon warrior and all that, you know. Then she moves in a little closer to him. He blinks, noticing this and glancing at her. He's already torn by *NEED FOR PERSONAL SPACE* and... look, a femme is moving closer to him! Then he realizes the likely reason why. "You... are sensing it too, I take it?" -In Swift Blade's defense, she hasn't actually touched the shuttleformer, and one of her hands has gotten closer to her weapon. She nods her head solemnly. "Something is amiss," she says very quietly. She had done bodyguard work before, and so that is taking over a bit. Blast Off doesn't need protection, but she does know that he is not a close combat fighter, but a ranged one. It makes sense for her to move in front if an altercation were to happen so he could stand back to take aim. But it doesn't help to give away that they have spotted it. "Okay, not afraid, but...wary?" she says in attempt to molify him. Fear is natural as far as she's concerned, and there should be no shame in it, but she's seen enough of 'people' to know that this often is not the case. "You know the consequences and wish to avoid them, even if you have to do something extreme again, yes?" -Blast Off can agree to that. "Yes... wary." He casts a wary glance about as he says that. He is silent a moment, then says quietly, "...Yes. I will not go down without a fight. And I think I'm being followed. It's not someone I'm familiar with, though. None of my scans are picking up anything familiar, at least." he glances to her. "I'm considering going somewhere... an alleyway open to the sky or something.... some place a little more quiet. Some place that if there *is* someone, they might make their move. Unless you had a better idea?" He asks. -Swift Blade frowns as she considers this. "Drawing them out somehow would be best, though what I've said before still stands," she says in a low voice. Hopefully he gets her meaning. He's smart, after all, but paranoia might take the place of wits. "However, we will need a place that allows us both to...perform to our best." She looks around for what might be the best location. In all the times that they have crossed paths, Blast Off still hasn't seen her in action; the closest she came was when she drew her swords, but nothing came of that incident. "You know the city better than I do I'm guessing." -Blast Off isn't sure. "What have you said before? Ah... that if they are police, you will not stand in their way." He sighs. "Yes, I understand. If they are, I shall simply fly away." He hopes. As for the rest, he has to think a moment. "Actually, there is a cargo bay not far from here. I've... conducted business there once. It has several storage bins and other spots to perch on, as well as a large wide open area and a large doorway but several smaller ones. It's a bit out of the way, but not too much so. And easy exits all around." -Swift Blade nods her head to this. "That sounds good. And yes, that is what I meant," she agrees. "I didn't want to say as much, just in case." She makes a small motion to show that Blast Off should proceed to the place mentioned and she will go with him. -The shuttle can't help but feel just a *tiny* bit disappointed, but he does understand overall. Mostly. So are these apparent followers police? Or something else? Only one way to find out. He proceeds to lead to her to aforementioned cargo bay. It's one he transported supplies to once- not the main one, he wouldn't lead her (or anyone else) there. The two Cybertronians enter the bay, and indeed it's a large place. There's even enough room to fly around in. As Blast Off also promised, there are many aisles of storage crates and other various stacked items and shelves. Their feet make a hollow click as they walk in and the Combaticon leads her towards one of those shelves, as if to show her some supplies there. And then he waits. Sure enough, soon there is the hollow *clack* of several footsteps behind them. Once they turn, they will notice three mechs standing at the doorway. They are armed. In front is a Seeker. To his right is a much shorter mech, and to his left is a tall, brutish-looking tank. They hold weapons. The Seeker steps forward. "Well, well, well. Blast Off, right? And who's your lovely companion?" -On the bright side, if Swift Blade learns for herself the extent of the corruption, then when she turns her back on the government, it will be complete. The femme looks around the place briefly before she hears the steps behind her. Turning, she has her hands at the ready to draw swords, but makes no sudden movements. "Swift Blade," she answers. "And you are?" Her optics scan over their weaponry and any hints to their alt modes; this will be important if it comes to an altercation. -The Seeker steps forward, holding a lasergun in one hand as he slowly smacks it gently into the other, creating a soft staccato effect. He leers at Swift Blade. "Phosphor!" He nods his head to the small mech, "This here's Shortstop, and that mech's name is Treads." The tank grunts, and the small mech giggles a little. His alt mode seems a little harder to make out than the Seeker, a jet like Swift Blade, and the tank. "We've been lookin' for this shuttle. Seems he's got a bounty on his head." Blast Off stands there, tense, and draws out his blaster. It's not his usual ionic blaster, but it can still pack a punch. "So what if I am?" -When they pull out their weapons, she draws her swords as well, though she holds them in a defensive possition for the time being. "And who put out this bounty? What is it worth?" Swift Blade asks. That might sound a bit too much like she's treading into threatening waters. She nods her head to each mech as the names are given, but her optics remain mostly on the 'lead' mech. Perhaps she's just stalling for time. -Phosphor (who does indeed have several luminescence lines trailing through his orange and purple paintjob) just continues to leer at them both. "You crawl out from under a rock somewhere or somethin'? This shuttle's worth 40,000 shanix right now. Who? Who da ya think? The police. Wanted: Dead or Alive." He tilts his head. "Why? You want to share in it? Help hand him over?" Blast Off can't help but turns his head and wait for her answer. Meanwhile, the three mechs start advancing towards them, though there's still some distance between them. There's a metallic *click* click *clcik* of their feet on the floor. -"I'm not really interested in money," Swift Blade says, though she smiles faintly. "But thank you for answering the questions." Never mind that he was being insulting and is leering at her. "You've told me all I need to know." With a fluid motion she snaps her one of her arms out straight, extending her sword like a 'DO NOT CROSS' line in front of the mechs' advance. "Might I suggest that you look elsewhere for your shanix," she says flatly. "Surely there are...safer...ways to give your finances a boost than to take on such a dangerous individual." Chances are, she is not talking about herself. "He has that bounty on his head for a reason, and while I do not know /your/ abilities in combat, I am assured that he is more than able to win a fight." Her other sword is held outwards in properation of striking if she needs to. -Blast Off raises an optic ridge, and the odds are good that he's definitely considering this a point in her favor. He hadn't been entirely sure what she'd say and was preparing to fight *her* too if need be... but he needn't have worried it seems. That leaves him to refocus on the three advancing mechs, leaning back with a slight smirk of his own as the grip on his blaster tightens. "She's right. I am a Combaticon, and you have picked the *wrong* quarry." He whispers to her, "...I saw these mechs before recently. They were snooping around, and now I see why. They have been following me." The three mechs stop as swift Blade draws her sword. The Seeker looks surprised. "....You gotta be kidding." He lifts his gun up. "See this? Don't bring a knife to a gun fight, femme. Now back off, and we might let you live." -"I bring what I have," Swift Blade says without being bothered by the implications. After all, she doesn't have to beat them, she just has to get in the way enough to stop them from beating Blast Off. They are not officers of the law obviously, or they would have stated as much instead of going for the bounty. Also, they would have challenged Blast Off in the street if they were on the side of the law. As such, she is not going to treat them with the same courtesy as she did Blurr. She's not a violent femme by nature, but she isn't entirely untrained in the art of combat. It's not HER fault she doesn't have a lot of ranged gear and she'll work with what she has. She gave them a warning already; once is enough. With another quick motion she has brought her sword down with the intent to remove the mech's hand that is holding the gun. These things can be fixed/replaced, right? Right? -Blast Off will live up to his word, as well. About not going down without a fight. He doesn't move his hand, waiting for the correct moment to move but he tenses, ready for action. And unlike Swift Blade he likes the distance- it's when they get close that he'll get worried. Phosphor smirks at her. "Too bad you didn't have *enough* then." He shrugs. "Your loss. Heh... maybe we'll add you to our prize list... I'm sure a nice femme like you would have some buyers, too..." He gives her a nasty smile, then gives a quick nod to the others. That seems to be their cue, and suddenly the other two launch forward. The big tank comes swinging towards Swift Blade with a roar, not even bothering to shoot but instead wanting to smash her with a fist while the little mech pulls up his weapon and aims it at Blast Off. It fires something at the shuttleformer... an alt mode lock device. If he's hit with it, he won't be able to transform and fly away. Phosphor begins to leap into the air, ready off shots at Swift Blade- just as she slashes at his gunhand with her sword. "Smelt it all!" The Seeker curses, jerking his hand back just in time. He flies backwards, gritting his dentae before takihng aim and firing back at her. Blast Off responds the second the Bounty Hunters do- swinging his weapon he takes aim at the Seeker before noticing the missive coming his way and attempting to duck it. -"I will not be sold again," says Swift Blade stonily in response to the mech's taunting. It wouldn't be fair to say that she has lost her temper, but she's definitely taking this personally now. In dodging the tank's movements, she ends up backing into the shots fired by Phosphor. Things could be worse, that is certain. Unlike many, she doens't thrive off of taunts and jeers, so she's mostly quiet as she starts to circle the tank. At an opportune moment, she darts forward with both her swords, one aiming high, the other aiming low. She only hopes that Blast Off is as good as he thinks he is. -The Combaticon dives off to the right, but isn't quite quick enough to evade the alt mode locking device. It smacks into him and his systems temporarily freeze up as signals are sent to his T-cog that disable his access to it. Staggering back, he lets out a huff, grabbing at the device but finding it's clamped on there pretty solidly now. It will take more time than he currently has to remove it. Optics flashing, he leaps into the air (his antigravs still work, at least) and fires off a shot at Shortstop. The tank takes a massive swing but misses the agile femme Seeker- but Phosphor's shots do NOT miss. He sneers as Treads starts moving around slowly, trying to keep facing Swift Blade. He smacks a fist into his other hand just as she springs forward with her swords. The tank attempts to halt his forward movement but the big heavy mech is no match for a lithe Seeker, and he grunts as she inflicts damage both high and low. His armor plates protect him from the hiigh cut, but the low ones slices right through the seams of his armor and energon spurts out. He roars in pain and anger, then swings his massive fists up in the air before trying to smash her with them! Phosphor raises an optic ridge. "...Again?" He gives Treads a sharp look. "Careful mech! She might be more of a find than we realized..." But treads isn't really capable of listening right now.... Meanwhile, Shortstop returns fire at Blast Off. -Swift Blade's need to do well is twice is great now. It started with helping Blast Off win, but now it's her own hide on the line too. She is no prize; she's already had enough of this. Optics narrowing, she keeps up her assault on the tank, believing that he is likely the biggest threat to Blast Off if he manages to get near the sniper. She says nothing, but her venting is a little more strained with exertion. She's pretty good at dodging; getting hit in the arenas meant a loss, but now the stakes are potentially much higher. After avoiding the tank's assault she darts in to press her own attack. Again she slices the tank with each sword. -Treads swings his fists down but Swift Blade darts through that attack to land one of her own. He staggers back once more as she slices through yet more fuel lines. Phosphor grimaces, looking down at his fellow Seeker as he aims his lasergun her way and fires, trying to strike one of her amrs and disable her. "You're a fighter, too. huh? We'll catch both you /and/ the shuttle and see what we can get for the both of yas!" Blast Off meanwhile has successful hit his target, knocking Shortstop back a ways- but Shortstop manages to hit him, too. The Combaticon's engines grumble with displeasure as he leaps higher into the air, then arcs down among some cargo bay crates to fire through gaps while attempting to find a little cover. Shortstop keeps firing through the aisle, not caring if he hits cargo as long as he hits the shuttle. -"I do not have a bounty on my head, sir," Swift Blade says to Phosphor with ice in her tone. Still, she isn't here to fight to the death; she never has before. The arenas she fought in were a triffle more civilized than the ones here. Nimbly moving away from the tank, she heads towards the one known as Shortstop. Bringing her swords together, she tries to catch him in a scissor like attack. She can only spare Blast Off the odd glance now and then; she can't afford to get too distracted. She only hopes that he will make it through this. -Phosphor shoots- and misses, Swift Blade's speed cutting through his attack even as she launches one at Shortstop. The small mech is nowhere near as powerful or imposing as his two companions, but he is quick- juming back to evade her slashing manuevers. He just keeps jumping, too, and Blast Off's shot misses him entirely. The sniper blinks, actually embarrassed to have Swift Blade witness that. There's an awkward glance to her that seems to /insist/ this is NOT the norm, then he looks around the cargo bay, searching for ...something. Phosphor and Treads begin advancing in on Swift Blade and Blast Off just as the shuttle spots the kind of thing he was searching for. A tall shelf of crates, conveniently placed high above along a wall that the two Bounty Hunters are walking by. If he can hit a support strut, he might bring the crates tumbling down on the mechs.... He fires off a shot just as Phosphor fires a shot towards Blast Off and Shortstop fires back at Swift Blade. -Evidently Swift Blade can dodge as well as Shortstop can. She keeps pressing towards the shorter mech despite his jumping, trying to time her sword swing to curve INTO the mech's jump instead of aiming for where he currently is. Those blades are just going to keep going until someone /makes/ her stop. At least by now Blast Off will know that it's not cowardice that prompted her to not fight the law for him; especially since these three mechs will likely do several unpleasant things to/with her. As for his misses, well, she doesn't seem to be taking any particular notice of them. After all, she went after the same target as he did, and that might have thrown a wrench in things. -Blast Off does indeed take note of Swift Blade's fighting form. Her experience with a sword is quite evident as she parries and thrusts, and Shortstop, while no slouch himself finally succumbs to her blade. The smaller mech doesn't have Treads' heavy armor, and the cuts slice deep. With a scream, he spazzes and collapses onto the floor, gasping. Meanwhile, Blast Off's shot strikes home even as he evades the Bounty Hunter's shots and there is a loud *crack* as the strut gives way. A pile of crates comes tumbling down. Phosphor just has time to utter, "Oh SLAG-" When anything else he says is muffled by the crashing and breaking of varius crates falling onto both him and his tank friend. Muffled sounds can be heard under the crates, and Blast Off fires off a few more shots just for good measure, creating a tangled mess. It will take the Bounty Hunters a while to get out of THAT heap. Shortstop seems injured and down for the count, as well. Blast Off turns to Swift Blade and says, "....Not bad." -"I try," says Swift Blade flatly, though she does offer Blast Off a smile. "You didn't seem quite sure, when we first met, if you believed that I could fight," she further notes. She looks around at all the mess. Bending over the smaller mech, she looks over his wounds to see if they're likely to be fatal. While she isn't a medic, she can at least take a guess. "I warned you," she says to Shortstop, whether or not he's able to hear her. -The shuttleformer stands there, still processing that they seem to have won, before looking over at Swift Blade with what seems to be a pleased sort of smirk under that faceplate of his. "I am no longer unsure. I have ...rarely seen anyone show skill with weapons like those before." There's a slight twinge- there was ONE person.... Drift, but let's not think about HIM too much, shall we? Blast Off is enjoying the victory, though he pauses to look at Swift Blade with a little disbelief as she examines Shortstop. "What are you doing? We should get going before any more of their "friends" decide to show up. Besides, this sort of commotion will not go unnoticed long." He starts heading towards the door. "Hurry, we should go." It's obvious he has little concern for the mech. But then again, the mech tried to colelct a bounty on him. Shortstop, meanwhile, appears to be injured but not mortally so. He lies there, still gasping and moaning. -"Next time, perhaps, you will take the warning," Swift Blade says softly to Shortstop. "But I would suggest trying to find a safer line of work entirely." Then she nods and moves away, not wanting to linger /too/ long. She just wanted to assure herself that she isn't going to pick up a death on her hands this cycle. "My ranged weapons, except one, were all taken away almost immediately after I was sold. I had to learn to fight this way; there was no other option if I ever wanted to win." She follows behind Blast Off, but she doesn't put away her sword until they're about to step into the open. First, however, she finds something to clean off any trace that she had been fighting. "What do you think will happen to them?" she asks, referring to the bounty hunters, of course. -Blast Off glances back. "I don't know. I don't care." He keeps walking out the door, casting a wary glance around to ensure no one else is coming. The commotion has drawn the attention of some security guards who are making their way over. Upon spotting them, the wanted mech hastens his pace, moving into a nearby alley quickly before continuing to say, "They may be arrested themselves, or if they can convince the security that they were simply pursuing a *dangerous criminal* that may get them out of hot water. That /excuse/ seems to work for everyone /else/, after all...," he mutters bitterly. He is listening to her, though, and studies her weapon of choice a moment. "I see. I prefer ranged, myself, but there is no shame in learning a fighting technique and becoming very good at what you have chosen to do. And it does seem you became very good at it. ...Even if it... well, wasn't neccessarily a *choice*. Having that skill now will serve you well. Those mechs were just a glimpse of some of the... fouler creatures that *also* call this planet home." -"I'm just curious as to how long before they will be functional again and whether or not I will need to be watching by back," Swift Blade says after she follows Blast Off into the alley. "They didn't seem like the kind to forgive." She leans against one of the walls for a moment. "I should probably pick up another ranged weapon and learn how to use it as well...especially if most individuals on Cybertron are armed that way." She doesn't seem to have any sort of spite against using ranged weapons or think that it is in any way a 'lesser' form of combat. "Whether or not they were pursing a 'dangerous' criminal, I suspect they may be criminals themselves from all the talk of finding a 'buyer' for me." She injects that word with a great deal of venom. -The Combaticon turns and ahhhs. "...Yes, now *that* I understand." He lets out a sigh, finally rolling his shoulders slightly in a gesture of stress relief as he can finally relax just a bit. "It might take them time, but then again...." He shakes his head, "I rarely ever seem to have that kind of luck. Perhaps your luck will be... kinder. It would be wise to watch your back. There are some rather... nasty underground criminal rings. Ones even Swindle, my teammate, doesn't dabble in very much." He thinks. He hopes. "I've warned you about the government. It is also true that there are always some bad individuals no matter *what* group you look at... and the civilian population is no exception. There are some rotten individuals there, too... some perveyors of black market..."/goods/"." His tone at the last word indicates contempt. "Uncouth, ...very...*UN*civilized people." Blast off nods. "Learning to use a ranged weapon would be an excellent decision. In fact..." Hmm, this seems familiar. He's offered this before, with various success rates... but it is a way the sniper can actually offer to help someone he likes enough not to want to see get killed. See, Swift Blade? You're making progress here! "I can offer to teach you to use a gun sometime, if you would like." -"Well, it took me a long time to be free, so I don't know what to say about my own luck," Swift Blade says. "But those were obviously not officers of the law, so I had no qualms about fighting /them/. And after what they said, I have no regrets either. But I'm not terribly eager to have people after me specifically." She shakes her head. "As long as I can fight, I will never let anyone sell me again." Then the femme smiles. "If you don't mind teaching, then I will be happy to learn," she says. "But you will have to have patience; I am quite rusty after all." -Blast Off nods to Swift Blade, his attitude one of approval. "Indeed. NEVER allow someone to treat you like a slave. Never give away your dignity. It seems so...so... BASIC to me, but I keep meeting people who do not seem to understand that." The shuttle's pride can accept nothing else, after all. He gestures for her to follow him as he exits the alleyway and reenters a street. "...I have a great deal of patience, as long as someone is willing to learn. There is no shame in seeking knowledge, either." -It's less about sheer pride with Swift Blade and more that she has sure knowledge of what being a slave means. She follows Blast Off fairly easily, keeping her optics alert. "Then we will have to find a good time and place to start the lessons," she says. "I doubt this will be an isolated incident." In a way, teaching Swift Blade more fighting skills might help Blast Off too if she's more efficient in a fight, then she's more capable of helping him in one. -This sounds agreeable to Blast Off. He turns, studies her a moment as he deliberates on something, then finally decides to trust her. At least some. She did just fight by his side, after all. "Here." He sends her his personal radio frequency. "You can contact me on that. We can arrange a time and place, and begin the lessons." There's a small sigh. "No... most likely not. I expect either those mechs, or others like them ,shall come looking again. And now they may be after you as much as me." He pauses, again deliberating something.... and than also offers this: "If you are ever in distress and require assistance from mechs like those... well..." he glances back towards the cargo bay. "You helped me, it is only proper that I should offer to assist you. And as a Combaticon warrior, my assistance would be most exemplary!" Again, Blast Off may be many things, but modest isn't one fo them. -In a way, Blast Off's arrogance is a good thing. He's too proud to go back on his word easily, so when he says a thing, Swift Blade is likely to take him at his word. And, in his push for superiority, he's never called her down to gain an advantage, so she finds she can forgive him that foible. A lot of people have probably tried to take the arrogant mech down a peg or ten, but she has shown no sign of wishing to do the same. She accepts the radio frequency and gives her own in return, not because of a lack of trust, but because she's just not used to giving it out. "Those mechs were NOT working for the safety of the public; they were working for greed. I will fight them again and again if I have to," she says. "Quite likely giving them more money would make them a bigger threat than they already are." -Indeed, the egotistical shuttle is more used to people responding negatively to his boasting than anything else. He always convinces himself they are just jealous, obviously! But having an exception here and there is very nice thing. And yes, once his word is given the "gentlemech" generally intends to keep it. It would be uncouth to do otherwise. And despite evrything, despite the fact that he does not wish to trust because trusting just gets you hurt, captured, or killed... his trust is slowly growing with Swift Blade. Her quiet thoughtfulness meshes well with his own brand of dignity. "No, they were not. And yes.. the more money they have, the more power they have... and those are not the sort you want to have /any/ power. We will keep that from them." The shuttle glances upward as he starts walking down the street, then looks back to the femme. "You fought well, and we will continue the fight. Until ALL the corruption is gone and we both have *choice* once again." He nods politely. "For now, though, I should get going. A good cyle to you."